1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wall mounted heat exchange unit for use with a central heating and cooling source using a fluid as the heat transfer medium.
2. Background of the Invention
Many large buildings, particularly older buildings, are provided with a central heating and cooling plant which chills or heats a fluid, such as water, for distribution throughout a building for heating and cooling purposes. In a typical older building, heated water is supplied to free-standing radiators placed in the rooms or areas where the heat is desired. When chilled water is used for the purpose of cooling the air in a building, finned radiators are typically placed in duct work to cool the air which is directed to distribution vents located in the rooms or areas to be cooled.
At the current time, large old buildings, used for manufacturing or large open office areas, are now being rehabilitated and partitioned for residential or office use. In such buildings, it is desirable to separately heat and cool the partitioned areas from a central heating or cooling plant using a fluid, typically water, as the heat transfer medium. Such being the case, it is desirable to provide an efficient heat exchanger in the room or area which is to be air conditioned, i.e, heated or cooled. It is further desirable that the heat exchange unit be easily installed, not take up unnecessary floor space and it be non-obtrusive and attractive in appearance.
Certain aspects of heating and cooling systems of this type have been addressed in the past. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,164--Newton, entitled: MULTI-ROOM AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, is directed to a simplified piping arrangement for use in supplying a heat exchange medium to a plurality of room air conditioning units from a combination vapor cycle and thermal electric (Peltier) refrigeration air conditioning system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,875--Hammarstedt, entitled: MODULAR HEAT INSTALLATION FOR PREMISES WITH WATER AS A HEATING TRANSMITTING MEDIA, is directed toward a conduit system for distributing water for heating purposes from a central source to radiators at various locations throughout a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,102--Clark, entitled: HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM, proposes a heating and cooling system having heat exchangers in desirable locations which receive cold water flow from a fire sprinkler piping system and hot water from a domestic hot-water piping system.